Friendly Competition
by songsinblue
Summary: An early Saturday gym session turns into a match between rivals turns into something more.


Rin catches a flash of dark hair as he steps onto the treadmill, and as he ups the speed his suspicion is confirmed. It's Rei taking the spot next to him, looking like he thinks he's being stealthy. Rin rolls his eyes and hits play on his workout playlist as he starts jogging.

For a few minutes, it's just his feet hitting the treadmill and the reassuring feeling of settling into a rhythm. Rin runs because it improves his swimming, and he swims because he likes to win, but he doesn't mind the extra cardio. It's good for thinking, his mind wanders in a way it doesn't when he swims. At least until he glances over to see that Rei has set his speed just one notch above Rin's own.

What, does he think he's better because he used to run track? That's nothing. Rin is in peak physical condition for any sport. He could dominate this nerd in any court. As proof he nudges up the speed on the treadmill two notches and goes back to staring straight ahead. It's stupidly gratifying to hear his feet hitting the belt just slightly faster, out of sync with Rei, even if he's working a little harder. The bass pounds in his headphones and Rin smirks a little.

At least until Rei matches his speed. God, he runs like a dork too, his head up and shoulders back, rolling off his toes with textbook form. Rei catches him looking and Rin gives him the dirtiest look he can manage without tripping and pointedly edges the dial up on the treadmill. _Real cute, but don't push it._ Rei pushes his glasses up without breaking stride and his innocent expression resolves itself into one of determination. Again, he matches Rin's pace. His fair skin makes the pink of his cheeks obvious, but he's still just breaking a sweat. Rin hates him so much he just has to up the speed again.

Ten minutes later the two of them are approaching the upper limits of the machines. Rin's hair is falling out of its small ponytail; Rei's is plastered to his face. Rin is breathing in steady pants, but his chest is burning, and Rei's perfect form is slipping in his desperation to keep moving. Every few seconds they shoot each other a look of resentment- neither wants to back down first.

Rin is trying to figure out which method of ritual suicide could possibly restore his honor after he collapses sometime in the next two minutes when the gods decide to smile on him. Rei trips, and even though he catches his balance, the safety key pinned to his shirt (god what a nerd) (seriously who does that) comes free and his treadmill stops, saving him from getting thrown into the wall. Rin sees him mouth a curse as he clutches the handrails. As much as Rin wants to keep running, rub it in a little, he has to reach up and hit cancel, trying not to gasp for air or fall to his knees as the treadmill slows and stops.

When Rin stumbles onto solid floor, the first thing he does is get right up in Rei's space. The second thing is to realize that this doesn't work as well with Rei as it does with other people, specifically his usual rival Haru. Rei is tall enough to stare right back, not that Rin is deterred. "What do you think you're doing?" Rin demands, trying to look intimidating instead of sweaty.

Rei's slick with sweat too, of course, but he smells like citrus and spice, some expensive deodorant or something, and the bright color highlighting his cheekbones might as well have been applied by a makeup artist. "Training," he says evenly. "I'm hoping to improve my times."

"Yeah, well, stay out of my way," Rin mutters, suddenly wanting to not be standing a mere foot from his rival (although he's not sure if far away or closer sounds better), and he brushes past, ignoring the question. It wasn't fair, no one should look that perfect all worn out, with stupid glasses and a stupid pout. Especially not your competition.

Rin's legs are burning, but he's getting his breath back quickly, and as he repins his hair back and heads into the weight room he's aware that Rei's not far behind, keeping an eye on him. Dammit. For the next twenty minutes Rei trails him through the weight machines, until Rin starts leaving the weights on just to watch Rei struggle with them. Maybe the nerd was almost a match for him in running, but Rin had more muscle, and Rei couldn't match the weight he lifted.

The thing was, though, that he kept _trying_. It was stupid. It was annoying. It was kind of endearing. Rin wanted to have some cutting remark on the tip of his tongue for a parting shot, but he kept drawing a blank and getting distracted by the way Rei had stared him down right back. Rin wiped the sweat off his face with the hem of his shirt and stormed off to the locker room.

It was empty, being early on a weekend, and as Rin stripped off his shirt and stretched tiredly, it was easy to hear the door squeak as the source of his frustration walked blithely in. Rin found himself glancing up, and before he could stop himself he was crossing the floor. Rei froze in surprise and then managed an icy look before Rin pinned him to the lockers with one forearm across the (solid, warm) chest.

"What do _you_ want?" snapped Rei, belatedly grabbing a hold on Rin's shoulders, for lack of a shirt. As if this nerd knew anything about a good fight. He was so overconfident, so naïve, Rin didn't know whether to take him down a few pegs or try to teach him better. For that matter, Rin hardly knew what he was about to say.

"You've been following me around all morning," he accused.

"I told you. I'm looking to improve. The team says you're the best butterfly swimmer they know." Rei lifts his chin like a dare.

Rin's grip falters. "T-they said that?" Sure, he was a natural at the butterfly stroke, but these days he mostly practiced freestyle.

"Of course. I was just hoping to follow your training to become better myself," Rei goes on cluelessly. "You should be flattered."

Rin is, and it's a strange feeling, for all he tells himself he's better than everyone. It's different hearing it from someone else- from Rei. He leans in a little more and glares. "You really want that spot in Iwatobi's relay?"

Rei answers immediately. "Yes. I do, and I'm going to give it everything I have to earn it."

"They're the best team you're ever going to swim with," Rin snarls, full of sudden protectiveness, "so you better work your ass off, understand?"

"I know," Rei says, calm and watching Rin with his weird, pretty eyes. "I will." He squeezes Rin's shoulders gently and Rin believes him. What the hell just happened? Rin drops his arm from Rei's chest, but by now he's leaning into the other boy with his whole body so it doesn't make much difference, and his hand accidentally grazes Rei's hip on the way past. Rei shivers a little and Rin can feel all of it, so he does it again, only this time he pushes Rei's hips back against the lockers with a rattle. Rei's hands lock behind Rin's neck and he clenches his teeth.

There's a second where Rin's mind has to do the math: _I want to make out with him right now. He looks like he's asking- daring- me to make out with him. I'm going to make out with him. _He has barely reached this conclusion when Rei yanks him a little closer. Rin goes for it like an attack, their lips meeting in a sloppy crush. Rei digs his fingers into sore muscles, and Rin hears himself gasp. His free hand works itself into Rei's hair as they break for breath, and the second kiss is more controlled, enough for Rin to appreciate the softness of Rei's lips and breathe in that spicy citrus smell again.

Rin trails his hands down Rei's broad shoulders and his slender waist, both exploring and claiming. Rei reacts like he's not intimidated in the slightest, which is both annoying and really hot. Pulling away just enough to get a quick look at his rival, Rin hooks his fingers in the hem of Rei's stupid expensive spandex shirt and yanks upwards, breathing hot and heavy along his neck. Rei meets him halfway and pulls the shirt off, tossing it carelessly aside and reaching for Rin's hips.

Rin bites at Rei's earlobe, getting a faceful of shaggy hair in the process, but the sound Rei makes is totally worth it, and they both go a little weak in the knees. Rin's starting to feel the constriction of his shorts, and he can tell that Rei is in similar straits by his breathy curses. There is one moment where Rin wonders if he should stop, sucking a bruise into Rei's pale shoulder, but Rei has a solid position from which to squeeze Rin's ass and Rin comes to the conclusion that he really doesn't mind. Instead he rocks his hips into Rei's and soaks in how good it feels. Someone to challenge who will actually push back, just dangerous enough to keep things interesting, but Rin knows he's still got the upper hand.

Rei is shivering with want, noting that Rin doesn't mind the scratches his blunt nails are leaving down his skin, but it's Rin who's on the edge. Rei is scraping white-hot trails across his lower back, and his skin is warm to the touch- Rin wants to get his hands on every inch of it. He realizes too late that that low moan is coming from _him_, and Rei just grins, which is infuriating. Determined to give as good as he's getting (and it's good all right), Rin leans forward, gets a grip under Rei's thighs, and simply scoops him up. The lockers rattle as their combined weight is removed, and Rin turns to pin his prize up against the tile wall instead.

From this angle there is sudden, perfect friction between their cocks, and Rin just has time to gasp as Rei clings to him and then pulls him in for a kiss, hands in Rin's hair and pulling just a bit. Rin lets slip a growl, and Rei cracks a flushed smirk. "Well? Is that all you've got?"

"Shut your mouth- unless you're doing- something useful with it," Rin says, going for threatening and coming out a purr, and grinding against the newfound sweet spot between them. Rei responds in kind, although it takes him a minute to regain the presence of mind to coordinate his hands in Rin's hair, and his mouth on Rin's. The only sound is the pounding blood in their ears, and although Rin's quads are starting to burn from supporting both their weight, he's getting caught up in… whatever it is. Alliance? Competition? An even match…

Rin tries to hold out, but Rei tightens his grip and shudders and fuck, that's it, he's over the edge. The low moan in his throat cuts off even as the rush keeps coming, and Rin has to fight to keep his balance because Rei is still panting against him. Rin shoves him back against the wall and twists his hips and with that, Rei bites his lip and comes quietly. Rin is unable to look away.

Rei puts his feet back on the ground and Rin steps back to give him room to slouch against the wall. Rei tilts his head to look up at Rin through his bangs. Rin feels awkward in the sticky aftermath, tries to glance to the side, but Rei just smirks in typical fashion and instead of bolting Rin says, "If you want to train like I do- I mean- I'm here every Saturday morning. Working out." Rin glares because he doesn't know what else to do (and because his running shorts really need to be washed like now).

"I'll be here," says Rei, and brushes slow and close on the way past. He still smells wonderful.

They shower together.


End file.
